Last week’s study by The National House-Building Council (NHBC) found that consumers were discouraged by some of the features and requirements of Code level 6 zero carbon homes - and most respondents claimed that they would prefer a higher specification kitchen or bathroom to personal investment in energy efficient measures. It highlights the fact that UK home-owners are not prepared to make the changes needed to live in “zero carbon” homes.
But the results of the NHBC research and the recent launch of the government’s green home service highlights the growing divide between the government’s efforts and the consumer’s understanding of achieving zero carbon homes.
I am fully in support of initiatives such as the green home service, but it concerns me that carbon zero still does not widely exist, despite the UK’s 21 million homes being responsible for 27% of CO2 emissions.
Before carbon or near carbon zero homes can be achieved there are significant barriers to overcome, but the good news is that is possible. Defining and understanding what carbon zero actually is, and how to measure should be at the start and is essential to create a common framework for sustainable buildings. Communicating this to home owners is of equal importance.
For me, a key part of this is to review in greater detail is the embodied energy of a building, that is, everything that goes into making the property, right through from manufacturing to construction.
More attention needs to be given to reducing the embodied energy of building materials, by designing long life, durable and adaptable buildings. If the embodied energy of many of the new properties being built is now taken into account, this could dilute their carbon zero status.
Martin Pease, Managing Director, Atkins Design